1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical component and a reflective plate for reflecting an incident light in a predetermined direction, and a device using the same optical component, and more particularly to a light reflection method for reflecting an incident light in a predetermined direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, liquid crystal displays are applied widely in personal computers, television receivers, word processors, video tape recorders and the like. In these electronic devices, while higher functions are required, there is an increasing demand for reflective liquid crystal display unit for displaying a liquid crystal image by reflecting the light entering from outside, without using backlight, in order to reduce in size, power consumption and the cost.
In such reflective type liquid crystal display, since backlight is not used, it is required to illuminate the liquid crystal display screen from behind by effectively utilizing the incident light from outside.
As shown in FIG. 9A, a reflective type liquid display 50 is constituted by interposing a liquid crystal layer 54 between a reflective plate 51 and an upper substrate 52, and the reflective plate 51 is made of a resinous layer 55 and a reflection film 56 disposed on a lower substrate 53.
An incident light 58 entering the reflective type liquid crystal display 50 is separated into a first reflected light 59 reflected by the reflective film 56, and a second reflected light 60 reflected on an upper surface of the upper substrate 52. However, when the first reflected light 59 and the second reflected light 60 are reflected in the same direction, the light source is overlapped and recognized on the image of the liquid crystal display.
Accordingly, there has been proposed that a pattern formed of a number of irregularities 57 is arranged on the surface of the reflective film 56 as shown in FIG. 9B, and the incident light is scattered and reflected by the bumps 57 as shown in FIG. 9C. The scattering of the light entering the reflective film 56 by the irregularities 57 allows the LCD screen to illuminate by using the light directing in a different direction from the second reflective light 60, among the scattered light 61, so that it is possible to view the LCD screen from a direction that the light source is not overlapped on the image.
However, since the scattered light 61 scatters the incident light 58, the incident light 58 is reflected also in the direction not used in recognition of the LCD screen or in the same direction as the second reflected light 60.
In addition, if a color filter is disposed inside of the reflective type liquid crystal display 50 in order to obtain a color image, the scattered light 61 also passes through a pixel of a different color from the pixel of color filter through which the incident light 58 has transmitted, and a color mixture occurs in the image to be recognized.
An optical component according to the present invention includes a substrate, a reflective layer disposed on the substrate, and a color filter, wherein the reflective layer has a plurality of reflective unit regions each of which has a first reflective surface for reflecting a light in a predetermined direction, and an inclination angle of the first reflective surface is defined so that an incident light which passes through a pixel of a determined color of the color filter to enter the first reflective surface is reflected by the first reflective surface to pass through the pixel of the same color as the color through which the incident light of the color filter has passed.
A liquid crystal display unit according to the present invention includes a substrate, a reflective layer disposed on the substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed on an opposite side to the substrate of the reflective layer, and a color filter disposed on an opposite side to the substrate of the reflective layer, wherein the reflective layer has a plurality of reflective unit regions each of which has a first reflective surface for reflecting a light in a predetermined direction, and an inclination angle of the first reflective surface is defined so that an incident light, which passes through the liquid crystal layer and a pixel of a predetermined color of the color filter to enter the first reflective surface, is reflected by the first reflective surface to pass through the pixel of the same color as the color through which the incident light of the color filter has passed.
A reflective plate according to the present invention includes a substrate, and a reflective layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the reflective layer has a plurality of reflective unit regions each of which has a first reflective surface for reflecting a light in a predetermined direction, and a second reflective surface for reflecting a light in a direction different from that of the first reflective surface, a reflected light, which is reflected by the first reflective surface, intersects with a reflected light, which is reflected by a first reflective surface in other reflective unit region, to form a common emission region, and a reflected light, which is reflected by the second reflective surface, is reflected by the first reflective surface, which is disposed adjacently to the second reflective surface through a coupling portion, to emit in a direction different the the emission region.
An electronic device according to the present invention includes a liquid crystal display unit disposed in an image display part, wherein the liquid crystal display unit includes a substrate, a reflective layer disposed on the substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed on an opposite side to the substrate of the reflective layer, and a color filter disposed on an opposite side to the substrate of the reflective layer, the reflective layer has a plurality of reflective unit regions each of which has a first reflective surface for reflecting a light in a predetermined direction, and an inclination angle of the first reflective surface is defined so that an incident light, which passes through the liquid crystal layer and a pixel of a predetermined color of the color filter to enter the first reflective surface, is reflected by the first reflective surface to pass through the pixel of the same color as the color through which the incident light of the color filter has passed.
In a light reflection method according to the present invention, an incident light, which enters by passing through a color filter, and a first reflected light, which reflects the incident light by a first reflective surface and emits by passing through the color filter, pass through a pixel of the same color as the color filter.
According to this light reflection method, since the incident light and the reflected light pass through the pixel of the same color as the color filter, a reflected light free from color mixture can be obtained.